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Weed killer in your water? Atrazine, Roundup research raises concerns

When we drink a glass of water from the faucet, we assume it’s safe. But a story in this weekend’s New York Times raises unsettling questions about the effect of herbicides.

Particularly if you are pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant, you should read the story, “Debating How Much Weed Killer Is Safe In Your Water Glass.”
The story is about Atrazine, one of the most widely used weed killers in the United States, which is banned in the European Union because of its propensity to contaminate groundwater and its effects on frogs and other amphibians. It has broadly contaminated groundwater in the United States, and is used heavily in Florida, particularly south of Lake Okeechobee, according to 2002 data from the U.S. Geological Survey.

Note that the U.S. Geological Survey said sugar cane growers applied 2.37 million pounds of Atrazine on their fields in 2002.

But Atrazine isn’t the only herbicide of concern. Studies on Roundup, the herbicide that’s probably in your garage, have raised troubling questions for pregnant women, in particular.

Scientists in France last year evaluated the toxicity of Roundup on fetal umbilical cord cells. They found that every formulation of Roundup caused total cell death within 24 hours. You can see a summary of the study here.

Frightening as this data is if you’re expecting, it’s not hard to protect yourself. Hardware stores sell under-sink water filtration systems for less than $100, and a plumber can install it for you for about $100 more. I took that step when I was expecting my first child, before the Roundup study was published. I’m so glad I did. Have you taken steps to filter your water? Why?